Chapter 30

4 As the wave of monsters approached, I controlled my breathing and focused energy on my legs. I kicked hard against the ground, and the level-15 strength concentrated in my legs propelled my body forward explosively. I’m breaking through. Ground rats bared their sharp fangs and came at us from every direction. The hard horn of a groll stabbed me in the waist. Although my body was tough due to my level-15 stamina, the relentless attacks from the monsters’ horns eventually made my skin bruise over and bleed. [The first bookmark has been activated.] “Bookmark” was activated, and Delusional Demon Namwoon Kim’s “Dark Awakening” surrounded my body. I rammed the horde of monsters head-on and surged forward. Fangs dug into my body, and ground rats bit down on my thighs. But I didn’t stop. Instead, I ran and ran as fast as I could. There it is. Finally, I saw the wall that was written about in the novel. Using the head of a charging ground rat as a jumping board, I leaped forward, toward the gleaming light of the two-person Green Zone. But…damn it. [Green Zone 1/2] It was already occupied. “……” I momentarily forgot about the wave of monsters behind me and stared at the figure inside. There stood the man who shouldn’t have been there. “Hey.” He looked back at me. “Can you step aside? I know you can survive out here.” “I’d rather not. I’m a bit tired today.” I wanted to slap his cocky face. I couldn’t understand it. How did Junghyeok Yu already know about this spot on his third loop? He shouldn’t start using hidden Green Zones until his fourth loop… Damn it. Had he already learned about this spot during his second loop, and it simply wasn’t mentioned in TWSA? Then why didn’t he use it on his third loop in the original story? Grrrrr! The growl of a ground rat came from behind. There was no time to curse the author. I could feel Gilyeong’s shaky breathing. I made direct eye contact with Junghyeok. We spoke at almost the same time. “I can take the kid.” “Take the kid at least.” I was relieved, even though he’d no doubt said that only because he knew the constellations were watching. [Green Zone 2/2] The Green Zone’s sign changed as soon as I let Gilyeong down. He’d be safe now. “No, wait! Dokja!” Gilyeong instantly tried to run back toward me, but Junghyeok firmly held onto his shoulder. I swung my sword at the ground rats coming for me. [Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army closes his eyes.] [Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire gazes at you with pity.] But not before seeing Junghyeok’s mouth moving. “I told you you’d die.” A wave of monsters was rushing at me. There were no Green Zones left. “I told you I wouldn’t.” Ignoring the monsters, I reached inside my shirt. I really didn’t want to use this because I wasn’t sure what the side effects would be. Yet I had no choice but to trust “The Fourth Wall.” [Is that…?] A look of shock came over Junghyeok’s eyes. That’s right, you bastard. Do you get it now? Well, even if you understand, it’s not something you can ever try. I looked at the white stone shining in my hand. The Specter’s Spirit Stone. The item I had obtained after hunting a specter, a ghost species, on the way to Chungmuro. Crunch. Dozens of ground rats started ripping apart my body. I was bloody and bruised red. My body’s durability was rapidly decreasing as I put the spirit stone in my mouth. Something that looked like steam escaped through my teeth and turned into a fog that soon engulfed the entire area. [Illusory Prison has been activated.] The ground rats and grolls attacking me stopped all at once. Everything around me began to distort, including the platform, Junghyeok, and Gilyeong, who was desperately calling my name. Just like that, I had turned into a ghost species. “Dokja.” I realized right away that this was a dream when I heard my mother’s voice. I struggled desperately not to fall into it, but it was difficult this time. It felt like I was sinking to the bottom of a swamp. [The effects of “The Fourth Wall” are temporarily diminished due to excessive immersion.] My expanded consciousness began to show me scenes from my past. The living room covered in blood. The cold corpse of a man. The back of woman looking down at the corpse. No. Anything but this memory. I mustn’t remember it. I shook my head hard and struggled for minutes until the scene finally began to disperse. Damn trauma… I, too, had memories I didn’t wish to dredge up. This was why I’d been so hesitant to use the Specter’s Spirit Stone. When consumed, this item temporarily turned you into a ghost species, making you invisible to monsters. However, it had the side effect of amplifying the user’s trauma. That was also the reason I couldn’t give it to my companions. If anyone else had used the spirit stone, their sanity would’ve been instantly shattered. …My head hurts like hell, but I think I’ll live. “The Fourth Wall” was really something else. That skill was the one reason I was relatively fine. Even a high-level “Mental Barrier” skill couldn’t be as effective as this. But that wasn’t all. If I’m right, this skill is— “Junghyeok Yu? Are you Junghyeok Yu?” I thought my trauma was rearing up again, but I didn’t recognize the voice. That meant the voice wasn’t from my memory. When I turned around, there stood a stranger. “…No, you’re not him. You look Korean. Who are you?” A foreigner with blond hair. The short girl in a sporty outfit stared at me in puzzlement for a long time. “I…don’t understand. I have seen the future many times, but I’ve never seen you…” The iris of the girl’s left eye was an ominous red swirl. Pages of TWSA rapidly fluttered by in my head. I knew this character. In fact, she was someone I couldn’t not recognize. But why now…? [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] [Character Anna Croft is using exclusive skill “Mental Barrier” Lv.6.] [“Character Profile” overrides “Mental Barrier” Lv.6.] [There is too much information about this character. Switching to a summarized view.] <Character Profile> Name: Anna Croft Exclusive Attributes: Prophet (Legendary), Savior (Legendary) Exclusive Skills: [Future Sight Lv.5], [Past Sight Lv.4], [Insight Lv.8], [Clairvoyance Lv.4], [Advanced Magic Proficiency Lv.4], [Mental Barrier Lv.6], [Lie Detection Lv.7], [Archdemon’s Gaze Lv.1]… The fearsome ability to enter other people’s consciousness regardless of where they were. The bold plan to see into the future and use that foreknowledge to shape the world as she saw fit. There was only one person in TWSA who fit that description. “Anna Croft.” “…How do you know who I am?” She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. I answered her. “I’m a Prophet, too.” [Character Anna Croft has activated “Lie Detection” Lv.7.] [“Lie Detection” has confirmed your words to be false.] Guess it doesn’t work on a real Prophet. “Reveal your identity. Who are you?” Anna Croft’s small lips were closed tightly, as if she couldn’t stand not knowing everything about me. I thought I understood what was going on. She must’ve detected my existence because “The Fourth Wall” was temporarily weakened. At least, if that skill was what I thought it was. Honestly…I was a bit disappointed. “Do you really not know who I am?” “…Pardon?” “The Angler Dragon’s Nucleus I sent you. You made good use of it, didn’t you?” Anna Croft’s mouth was opening slowly. “You used its magic power to implant that Archdemon’s Eyeball, right?” “I-it can’t be! You’re the one who requested Broken Faith from the auction house…?” The Archdemon’s Eyeball. That was a whopping one-million-coin item she got from her sponsor. Forget silver spoon, she was born with a diamond spoon in her mouth. I’m so jealous. “What’s your name? Answer me! How…?” [The effects of “The Fourth Wall” are gradually being restored.] “Why…can’t I see anything…?” Anna Croft’s vision was becoming blurry. As the ability of the Archdemon’s Eyeball, which allowed her to interfere with another person’s consciousness, began to weaken, she herself began to blur and fade away. I waved at her. “We’ll meet again someday. Wait for me on the other side of the continent.” [Exclusive skill “The Fourth Wall” has been fully restored.] Finally, her form had completely disappeared. I was eventually able to relax once her presence was gone. Things were hard enough without encountering Anna Croft, of all people. I just can’t catch a break today, huh? [You have gained immunity to the effects of Illusory Prison due to your skill.] …Damn it, that took forever. My head was starting to clear. Although some unpleasant feelings remained, I felt much better. Repeatedly, I slowly breathed in and out. I went over some definitive facts to check if I was back to my senses. I was Dokja Kim. The world had fallen, and TWSA had become reality. This was…inside Illusory Prison. I had consumed the Specter’s Spirit Stone and become a ghost species for a while. After all, a subterranean species couldn’t attack a ghost species. Right, that was how it went down. That’s why…the world looks like this. My surroundings looked distorted, as if I were high on narcotics. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed. I felt uneasy. What happened to Sangah, Hyeonseong, and Huiwon? Junghyeok, that bastard… He better not have done anything to Gilyeong. Is the third scenario still underway? What if ground rats are still around? What if I wake up surrounded by monsters waiting to devour me? In that case… “…ja.” “…Please.” “…Dokja!” I woke up with a jolt. [Exclusive skill “Dispel Evil” Lv.1 has been activated.] Yes, it’s time to go back. I exhaled forcefully. “Dokja!” My vision cleared as the fog lifted. The first thing I saw was the face of Sangah, who was helping me to sit up. Behind her, the concerned faces of Hyeonseong and Huiwon. “…What about the scenario?” “It’s over. We did it. We really made it out alive!” I see. We did it. I tried to move as I looked at my companions’ excited faces, but my body refused to listen. I must have been in a stiff posture for a long time. “It’s…too early to celebrate.” “Huh?” “We’ve only survived one day. Since yesterday was the third day…” Seeing my attempt to get up, Hyeonseong quickly rushed to my side and grabbed me. “Dokja! No. You haven’t slept at all!” “What time is it now?” “It’s 8:30 in the morning. The scenario ended thirty minutes ago.” It was 8:30 a.m. Luckily, I wasn’t out too long. Anyway, there was someone missing. “Where’s Gilyeong?” “Oh, he’s…” I had my answer before Huiwon finished her sentence. A few steps away from us, Junghyeok was standing with Jihye at his side. He was looking down at Gilyeong. Why’s Junghyeok with…? At that moment, I remembered. Junghyeok being shocked as he scanned my companions earlier. So the person he was looking at with “The Eye of the Sage” was…? “When did you complete……? …never happened before…” It may have been a side effect of the spirit stone, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying very well. Gilyeong spoke next. “Not too long ago.” “…Are you sure you won’t come with me?” “Yes.” “You’ll get much stronger than if you stay with him. Do you still—” “Even so, I’m not going with you.” “…Stupid kid.” Junghyeok frowned as he briefly glared in my direction before turning his back on us. [Exclusive skill “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” has been activated.] […Dokja Kim, that lucky bastard. Still, he might be useful, so I’ll keep him alive for now.] I wanted to give him a piece of my mind but didn’t have the energy. “Dokja!” Gilyeong noticed I was awake and scurried over. I caught the last bit of Junghyeok’s thoughts before he walked off into the distance. [No time to waste. I need to clear a good portion today. If I don’t…] “Clear”? Clear what? Need to…concentrate… But I was too tired. I slumped in exhaustion, and Sangah rushed over to hold me. “Sangah…” “Yes!” “I’m sorry, but I need to sleep just a little bit…” And I fell asleep. No dreams. It was the best rest I’d had in a long time. I woke up about two hours later. Hey, wake up already! As I was rudely awoken by a loud voice, I felt something thick and hard against my cheek. “Oh, Dokja, you’re up.” A pair of smiling lips. Huiwon was looking down at me. “I told Sangah to rest for a while. Since we didn’t get any sleep last night, either.” I turned my head and saw Sangah, who had held me earlier, now napping with her head against a wall. Huiwon laughed. “Was Hyeonseong’s lap comfortable?” I turned my head to see Hyeonseong talking in his sleep right above my face. “This morning’s roll call…will be conducted by the officer on duty…” …No wonder my “pillow” felt too high. I was on Hyeonseong’s lap. It vaguely smelled like a military-issue pillow, too. “Hmm…Dokja…” I felt something heavy on my stomach and looked down. Gilyeong was sleeping there, curled up like a cat. As I was about to get up quietly, I heard Bihyeong’s voice. Ha-ha. Finally up? These are for you. The messages came into my ears. [Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is deeply saddened by your trauma.] [Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon is intrigued by your past.] [Constellation Secretive Plotter is curious about your mother.] [Constellations have donated 1,800 coins.] …Sick bastards. Got a good peek at my past, huh? That wasn’t the end of the messages. [You survived a night in Chungmuro without a Green Zone.] [You are the second person to complete the achievement, “Endless Dawn.”] [You have received 1,000 coins as a reward for your achievement.] [Coins Owned: 22,650C] At least, those coins were enough to meet my goal. There was a reason why I had endured the night. Huiwon yawned, then asked me: “What are we doing today? Same as yesterday…?” “No, that won’t work again. It was a one-time thing.” Of course, there was a chance we could luckily stumble upon randomly generated Green Zones today, too. Unfortunately, TWSA didn’t mention where hidden Green Zones appeared on the fourth night. “Then…” Huiwon’s expression turned serious. But there was no cause for concern. “Today, we’ll end the third scenario for good.” “Really?” I carefully laid Gilyeong down on the ground and got up to stretch. I wasn’t planning to do this originally, but Junghyeok was clearly up to something, so we needed to be prepared to make a move. We didn’t have time yesterday, but it’d be a different story today. “Let’s go dethrone a real estate tycoon.” “…How?” Huiwon asked. I answered while looking at Hyeonseong who was sleeping quietly. “We’ll use the secret weapon we’ve been saving up.” It was time to change the master of Chungmuro.